CONTROL APPARATUS, CONTROL SYSTEM OF ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An AV amplifier includes a selector which outputs a video signal input from an output device to a display device, a display controller which makes a display device display a virtual controller including a plurality of operation buttons and a cursor for selecting any operation button on the virtual controller together with a output video corresponding to an AV signal input form the output device, an operation signal receiver which receives an operation signal for moving the cursor on the virtual controller so as to select an operation button corresponding to a position of the cursor together with identification information for identifying a device to be controlled from an amplifier controller, and a control signal transmitter which transmits predetermined control signals set to the operation buttons for the AV devices to the device to be controlled according to the device to be controlled and the selected operation button.

2010-04-29

20100107106

APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTEXT AND LANGUAGE SPECIFIC DATA ENTRY - An apparatus, system and method that allow for context and language specific data entry via a user interface. A user interface is displayed on a display device, where the user interface includes a data entry menu having one or more menu selections. A menu selection is activated. A data entry method is displayed, where the data entry method is context and language specific to the activated menu selection. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

2010-04-29

20100107107

APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTEXT AND LANGUAGE SPECIFIC DATA ENTRY - An apparatus, system and method that allow for context and language specific data entry via a user interface. A user interface is displayed on a display device, where the user interface includes a data entry menu having one or more menu selections. A menu selection is activated. A data entry method is displayed, where the data entry method is context and language specific to the activated menu selection. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

2010-04-29

20100107108

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING A CONTROL SYSTEM USER INTERFACE - A method for providing navigation in a user interface for an industrial control system including a computer, a display device, a plurality of process graphics, and at least one user interface. A plurality of software objects are displayed for use in controlling and/or monitoring of real world objects controlled by the control system. One or more designated views are generated providing navigation between members of a group of context-related process graphics. Each process graphic with a designated view is a member of a predetermined group of process graphics, where each designated view includes one or more tabs directly linked to other members of the predetermined group in the industrial control system. A system and computer program for carrying out the method are described.

2010-04-29

20100107109

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE FOR A USER INTERFACE DASHBOARD OF A HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING NETWORK - The disclosure provides systems and methods of use of an HVAC graphical interface dashboard. In various embodiments, the dashboard includes a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen. The dashboard also includes an indoor humidity tab, wherein invoking the indoor humidity tab advances to a humidity screen which displays at least a current indoor humidity. The dashboard further includes an alerts tab, wherein invoking the alerts tab advances to an alerts screen. The dashboard still further include an indoor settings tab, wherein invoking the indoor settings tab advances to an indoor settings screen which includes a current indoor temperature. A programs tab and a home tab are also provided, wherein a programs screen includes a display of a plurality of pre-populated program schedule settings.

2010-04-29

20100107110

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE FOR A USER INTERFACE DASHBOARD OF A HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING NETWORK - The disclosure provides systems and methods of use of an HVAC graphical interface dashboard. In various embodiments, the dashboard includes a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen. The dashboard also includes an indoor humidity tab, wherein invoking the indoor humidity tab advances to a humidity screen which displays at least a current indoor humidity, wherein the humidity screen interprets a percentage of humidity for a user. A programs tab and a home tab are also provided. At least one of: a) a system mode; and b) a fan mode can be selected by pressing a correlated icon in the program tab.

2010-04-29

20100107111

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE FOR A USER INTERFACE DASHBOARD OF A HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING NETWORK - The disclosure provides systems and methods of use of an HVAC graphical interface dashboard. In various embodiments, the dashboard includes a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen. The dashboard also includes an indoor humidity tab, wherein invoking the indoor humidity tab advances to a humidity screen which displays at least a current indoor humidity, wherein the humidity screen interprets a percentage of humidity for a user. A programs tab and a home tab are also provided. At least one attribute of a presentation of the home screen is selectable by a user.

2010-04-29

20100107112

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE FOR A USER INTERFACE DASHBOARD OF A HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING NETWORK - The disclosure provides systems and methods of use of an HVAC graphical interface dashboard. In various embodiments, the dashboard includes a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen. The dashboard also includes an indoor humidity tab. A programs tab and a home tab are also provided. The dashboard further comprises: a) a screen that employs a backlight to display information to a user; b) a backlight, and c) a motion detector, wherein the backlight is turned on by the motion detector upon a detection of motion.

2010-04-29

20100107113

METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING A MODIFIABLE MACHINE BASE IMAGE WITH A PERSONALIZED DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT IN A COMBINED COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT - A method and system for modifying, in a combined computing environment, a machine base image having a personalized desktop environment includes executing an operating system associated with a base disk; intercepting, by a filter driver, an instruction from at least one of a plurality of resources to modify a setting stored in at least one of a file system and a registry, the plurality of resources executing inside an isolation environment; storing, in a delta disk, a copy of the modified setting; restarting the operating system; replacing the setting stored in the at least one of the file system and the registry with the copy of the modified setting stored on the delta disk; and restarting at least one operating system process incorporating the modified setting.

2010-04-29

20100107114

IN CONTEXT WEB PAGE LOCALIZATION - According to one embodiment, in context web page localization is provided. A web page is displayed. A displayed element of the web page is selected. A localization value for the selected element is entered. The web page is re-displayed showing the entered localization value instead of an original value associated with the element. The localization value is received by an application application, which displays the web page, receives the entered localization value and re-displays the web page.

2010-04-29

20100107115

CHILD WINDOW SURFACING AND MANAGEMENT - Tabs or other display elements that do not comply with traditional “window” requirements can be individually presented to a user when the window containing such tabs or other display elements is hidden or obscured. The user can be enabled to perform tab-specific actions, such as closing a particular tab, or viewing a specific tab without interacting with the containing window. Executing processes utilizing such tabs can register them and provide order and display information. Subsequent tab-specific actions can be received and directed to such executing processes. Additional requests, such as for thumbnails and bitmaps, can be directed to such executing processes in order to implement the tab presentation mechanisms and to provide for the tab-specific actions.

2010-04-29

20100107116

INPUT ON TOUCH USER INTERFACES - A user interface for use with a device having a display and a controller, the display being configured to display a portion of content, the content being related to an application which application the controller is configured to execute and the content including an object, the controller being further configured to receive touch input and determine whether the received touch input represents a scrolling action or an object specific action according to an originating location of the touch input in relation to the content.

2010-04-29

20100107117

METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR PRESENTING METADATA IN MEDIA CONTENT - An apparatus, system and method for displaying and browsing metadata in video media is provided including a media timeline and a plurality of individual graphical bars configured for displaying the location and range of individual metadata items along the media timeline. Visual indicators in the graphical bars are provided for indicating and distinguishing at least a location, range and level of overlapping regions of metadata items along the media timeline. Such visual indicators can include, e.g., different degrees of shading or coloring to distinguish between non-overlapping regions and/or various levels of overlap and the like.

2010-04-29

20100107118

ASPECT RATIO HINTING FOR RESIZABLE VIDEO WINDOWS - A method, apparatus and system for resizing a window in a video display include determining an optimal window edge position based upon an aspect ratio of input content. An on-screen cursor is positioned at a location to initiate a resizing operation. A determination of whether the location is proximate to the optimal window edge position is made. If the location is proximate to the optimal window edge location, a window edge position is adjusted to the optimal window edge position.

2010-04-29

20100107119

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MAPPING LOGICAL AND PHYSICAL ASSESTS IN A USER INTERFACE - The present principles provide systems and methods for displaying associations between data files and logical assets including the data files. Upon user-selection of a representation of a logical asset, a method in accordance with an aspect of the present principles includes determining associations between data files and the logical asset and displaying a listing of data files associated with the logical asset. Conversely, the method may also include presenting a listing of logical assets associated with a user-selected data file upon determination of logical assets associated with the data file. Moreover, another aspect of the present principles permits bi-directional navigation capability between a logical asset associations view and a physical asset associations view.

2010-04-29

20100107120

Painting user controls - The described implementations relate to dynamically painting user-controls. One method dynamically determines a highlight color of a user-control under a cursor on a graphical user-interface. The method also paints at least a portion of the user-control with the highlight color.

2010-04-29

20100107121

OPERATION APPARATUS - Provided is an operation apparatus capable of securely preventing an erroneous operation in adjusting a seat and the like from being caused by a passenger. A seat shape image Sg representing an outer profile of a seat, and adjustable item buttons Tb representing names of movable portions, respectively, of the seat are displayed on a display screen. When a position, on a touch panel, corresponding to a position, on the display screen, of one of the adjustable item buttons Tb is touched, adjustment direction arrows Ty indicating directions, respectively, in which one of the movable portions corresponding to the one of the adjustable item buttons Tb is movable are displayed on the display screen.

2010-04-29

20100107122

System for Providing Widget Type Idle-Screen - Provided is a system for providing a widget type idle-screen. The system includes a management server, a database, and a user terminal. The database is managed by the management server, and stores and manages widget type idle-screen contents and a dedicated application for driving the widget type idle-screen contents. The user terminal downloads the widget type idle-screen contents from the database and includes the dedicated application for driving the widget type idle-screen contents. The widget type idle-screen contents are activated on the screen of the user terminal in connection with a phone number of a receiver terminal during the standby time of an outgoing call.

2010-04-29

20100107123

SURFACING AND MANAGEMENT OF WINDOW-SPECIFIC CONTROLS - The functionality traditionally provided by an application program through a window presented as part of a window-based user interface can be accessed while the window remains hidden. A toolbar, or similar collection of user interface elements, can be presented when a user indicates an intention to interact with an application program whose window is hidden. The toolbar can comprise elements associated with functions specific to the hidden window. The user's selection can be communicated to the application program so that it can perform the requested function. If the user no longer indicates an intention to interact with the application program, the toolbar can be removed. In one embodiment, the toolbar can be presented together with a thumbnail of the relevant window in a floating display element.

2010-04-29

20100107124

SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR ESTABLISHING A COMMUNICATION LINK BETWEEN NETWORK END USERS - A method of customizing information that is displayed on a computer via a communication portal may include providing first and second computer program products executable on a computer. The computer program products prompt an end user to install the first computer program product and to enter user-specific information that is received by the second computer program product. A display portal is opened that displays information responsive to the user specific information entered.

2010-04-29

20100107125

Light Box for Organizing Digital Images - A processing device and a machine-implemented method may be provided for assisting users of photographic applications to organize large numbers of digital images. A light box may be a conceptual workspace having a number of digital images positioned on a surface thereof. A user may select one of a number of light boxes and a portion of a surface of the selected one of the light boxes may be displayed along with a navigation panel. The navigation panel may provide an indication of where the displayed portion of the surface of the selected one of the light boxes is located with respect to a complete surface of the light box. Digital images may be automatically grouped or manually grouped. A filtering capability may be provided to filter digital images on a surface of a light box based on one or more specified criteria.

2010-04-29

20100107126

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THUMBNAIL SELECTION AND EDITING - A method, apparatus, article of manufacture for producing one or more thumbnails from a media program comprising video data having a plurality of sequenced images. In an illustrative embodiment, the method comprises the steps of accepting a command to scan the video data to identify a candidate video frame for the thumbnail, accepting a command to select the candidate video frame for the thumbnail, automatically generating a set of candidate thumbnails, the set of candidate thumbnails comprising the selected candidate video frame and video frames temporally proximate the selected candidate video frame, presenting the set of candidate thumbnails for selection, and accepting a selection of one of the candidate thumbnails as the selected thumbnail.

2010-04-29

20100107127

Apparatus and method for manipulating virtual object - Disclosed is a virtual object manipulating apparatus and method. The virtual object manipulating apparatus connects a virtual object in a 3D virtual world with a virtual object manipulating apparatus, senses a grab signal from a user, and determines a grab type of the virtual object based on the sensed grab signal and the connection between the virtual object and the virtual object manipulating apparatus.

2010-04-29

20100107128

DISPLAYING AVAILABLE CONTENT VIA A SCREEN SAVER - In a device, multiple content descriptions are obtained. Each of the content descriptions identifies content that is available to the device, such as video on demand (VOD) programs, previously recorded programs, live programs, applications that can be run, and so forth. A screen saver is generated to concurrently display each of the multiple content descriptions as at least part of a screen saver for the device.

2010-04-29

20100107129

Indeterminate State Logic Insertion - Illustrative embodiments provide a computer-implemented method for resolving indeterminate states by inserting logic into a design. The computer-implemented method receives an original design input from a requester to form a received input and determines whether the received input contains an indeterminate output. Responsive to a determination that the received input contains an indeterminate output, the computer-implemented method generates a temporary design from the received input, wherein the temporary design contains “unique” output and all inputs, updates the temporary design, and synthesizes the original design and each temporary design individually to form a synthesized original design and a set of synthesized temporary designs. The computer-implemented method merges the synthesized original design with the set of synthesized temporary design to form a final design; and returns the final design to the requester.

2010-04-29

20100107130

1XN BLOCK BUILDER FOR 1XN VLSI DESIGN - Embodiments that generate 1×N building block representations for an IC design via a GUI of a 1×N block builder are disclosed. Some embodiments enable, via a GUI, selection of a logical function for a 1×N building block. The embodiments also comprise enabling selection of an implementation from a number of implementations of the logical function and automatically generating a 1×N building block representation of the logical function based on the selected implementation. The generated 1×N building block representation comprises an RTL description of the 1×N building block. Further embodiments comprise an apparatus having a GUI generator, a logical function selector to select a logical function, an implementation selector to select an implementation of the logical function from a number of implementations, and a 1×N building block generator to generate a 1×N building block representation of the 1×N building block based on the selected implementation.

2010-04-29

20100107131

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEMORY ABSTRACTION AND VERIFICATION USING SAME - A computer implemented representation of a circuit design including memory is abstracted to a smaller netlist, which can be analyzed by standard verification tools and by other tools that operate on netlists. The correctness of such systems can require reasoning about a much smaller number of memory entries than exist in the circuit design, and by abstracting such memories to a smaller number of entries, the computational complexity of the verification problem is substantially reduced.

2010-04-29

20100107132

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEMORY ABSTRACTION AND FOR WORD LEVEL NET LIST REDUCTION AND VERIFICATION USING SAME - A computer implemented representation of a circuit design including memory is abstracted to a smaller netlist by replacing memory with substitute nodes representing selected slots in the memory, segmenting word level nodes, including one or more of the substitute nodes, in the netlist into segmented nodes, finding reduced safe sizes for the segmented nodes and generating an updated data structure representing the circuit design using the reduced safe sizes of the segmented nodes. The correctness of such systems can require reasoning about a much smaller number of memory entries and using nodes having smaller bit widths than exist in the circuit design. As a result, the computational complexity of the verification problem is substantially reduced.

Designing apparatus, designing method, and designing program for semiconductor integrated circuit - A designing apparatus includes an initial estimating portion, a general power supply noise analyzing portion, a layout designing portion, a detail estimating portion, a detail power supply noise analyzing portion, and a layout adjusting portion. The initial estimating portion estimates general values of an entire consumed current and an entire on-chip capacitance. Based on the estimated general values, the general power supply noise analyzing portion creates a lumped constant circuit model so as to conduct a power supply noise analysis, for computing a current-capacitance ratio. Based on the current-capacitance ratio, the layout designing portion performs placement of cells for each of predetermined regions obtained by dividing a placement region. The detail estimating portion creates a lumped constant circuit model for each of the predetermined regions so as to estimate detail values of the consumed current and the on-chip capacitance for each of the predetermined regions. Based on the detail values, the detail power supply noise analyzing portion conducts a detail power supply noise analysis. Based on a result of the detail power supply noise analysis, the layout adjusting portion performs adjustment of the placement of the cells.

2010-04-29

20100107135

System and Method for Transforming a Component Business Model - Seamless transition from a Component Business Model (CBM) to a Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) is achieved by converting a tabular representation of a CBM Heat Map to a Unified Modeling Language (UML) representation, and automatically converting the UML representation of a CBM Heat Map to a first iteration of input used during the subsequent SOA solution development using Service Oriented Modeling and Architecture (SOMA).

2010-04-29

20100107136

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK FOR COMPOSITE APPLICATIONS - There is disclosed an integrated development environment for development of a composite application, wherein the development environment integrates a plurality of different heterogeneous development frameworks to provide a single user interface and perspective for developing a composite application including components from the different heterogeneous frameworks. In the environment, objects from different frameworks and layers may be viewed simultaneously, navigated between, edited and composed. Error checking functionality allows edits across different layers or objects of different frameworks to be checked at design time.

2010-04-29

20100107137

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATION OF DECLARATIVE RULE-BASED PROCESSING WITH PROCEDURAL PROGRAMMING IN A DIGITAL DATA-PROCESSING EVIRONMENT - The present invention provides methods and systems for integrating a procedural computational model with a declarative computational model. For example, in one aspect, the present invention provides a method for integrating a plurality of procedural instructions in a procedural computational system with a plurality of declarative rules in a declarative computational system. In such a method, for each of the procedural instructions operating on one or more variables, a hash table indexed by variable names is utilized to determine whether any of these variables participate in at least one of the declarative rules. Upon execution of a procedural instruction that changes a variable participating in a declarative rule, other variables associated with the rule are updated so as to maintain a relationship imposed by the rule among the variables. The updating of the other variables is performed prior to execution of other procedural instructions. Further, for each of the updated values, changes associated with to updated variable are propagated to other rules, if any, in which the updated variable participates. The propagation of the change can be accomplished by modifying values of variables other than the updated variable so as to maintain relationships defined by these other rules. The integrated computational systems of the invention can find applications, for example, in workflow processing.

2010-04-29

20100107138

FLASH PRESENTATION MARKUP LANGUAGE (FLML) FOR TEXTUALLY EXPRESSING FLASH PRESENTATIONS - A document written in a specialized FLASH presentation markup language (FLML) stored in a storage medium. Such a document can textually represent a FLASH presentation. The text can correspond to a FLAPRE markup language (FLML) that can be interpreted at run-time. The structure and syntax of the FLML can conform to a standardized markup language. The FLML document can include FLML tags having FLML attributes and FLML attribute values.

2010-04-29

20100107139

Cooperative Unwrapping Across Intervening Wrappers - A method of accessing layers in a multi-layer software architecture including a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The method includes: at the third layer, publishing an interface; and at the first layer, before execution of a first function, registering a callback routine with the third layer using the interface.

2010-04-29

20100107140

SHARING UNRESOLVED INFORMATION BETWEEN SOFTWARE COMPONENTS - Techniques are disclosed which allow independent software components to share unresolved information with one another. Components may register with a component integration bus (CIB) as a provider or a consumer (or both) for a variety of different data types. The CIB may be further configured to store and share component information with users of the CIB to broker consumer-provider relationships between components included in an integrated solution package. The CIB may also validate the consumer-provider relationships between components included in such a package. Further, the CIB provides information useful to validate the solution package. Using the information from the CIB, components of the solution package are able to resolve unresolved information when the integrated solution is deployed on a remote system.

2010-04-29

20100107141

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECOMMENDING NEXT COMMANDS WHEN USING A SOFTWARE APPLICATION - One embodiment of the invention sets forth a mechanism for recommended commands to a designer of a graphics design application. Each time a command is executed within the graphics design application, a resource module receives command use information associated with the executed command. In response, the resource module generates and transmits one or more recommendation lists to the designer, where each recommendation list includes a list of recommended commands that may be executed by the designer next. The resource module generates the recommendation lists based on frequency information associated with the recommended commands stored within a local frequency store. The frequency information is received by the resource module from a central server that processes command use information associated with different designers in the community to produce the frequency information.

2010-04-29

20100107142

SCALABILITY ANALYSIS FOR SERVER SYSTEMS - Described is predicting cache locality in a multicore/multithreaded processing environment including when threads share cache data in a non-uniform interleaving manner. Thread execution traces are analyzed to compute a set of per-thread parameters that can then be used to predict cache miss rates for other cache sizes. In one aspect, a model is based upon a probability that the cache reuse distance will increase because of accesses by other threads, and another probability that the reuse distance will decrease because of intercept accesses by other threads to shared data blocks. Estimates of the number of shared data blocks, possibly shared data blocks and private data blocks are used in the computations.

2010-04-29

20100107143

Method and System for Thread Monitoring - An apparatus and methods for hardware-based performance monitoring of a computer system are presented. The apparatus includes: processing units; a memory; a connector device connecting the processing units and the memory; probes inserted the processing units, and the probes generating probe signals when selected processing events are detected; and a thread trace device connected to the connector device. The thread trace device includes an event interface to receive probe signals, and an event memory controller to send probe event messages to the memory, where probe event messages are based on probe signals. Also presented is a method that includes: inserting event probes in hardware-based processing units, where the event probes generate probe events when predetermined processing events are detected; configuring a hardware-based device to generate probe event messages based on said probe events; and transferring the probe event messages to a memory. The probe event messages transferred to memory can be subsequently analyzed using a software program to determine, for example, thread-to-thread interactions.

2010-04-29

20100107144

AUTOMATED IDENTIFICATION OF REDUNDANT METHOD CALLS - Embodiments of the invention use an automated procedure to detect the occurrence of redundant or duplicate method calls in a running program. Software developers may then be notified of the redundant calls, and correct the redundancies if necessary. One embodiment, directed to a process or inventive method, is associated with a program disposed to run on a data processing system, wherein the program is provided with one or more methods that can be selectively called when the program is running. The process includes the step of collecting specified data each time that a call to a given one of the methods occurs, wherein a given call to the given method is associated with a set of arguments comprising one or more particular argument values for the given method, and the collected data includes an element uniquely identifying each of the particular argument values. The process further includes storing the collected data at a selected location, and selecting a call threshold for the given method, wherein the call threshold comprises a specified number of occurrences of the given call to the given method, when the program is running. The collected data is selectively analyzed at the storage location, to determine whether an occurrence of the given call to the given method has exceeded the call threshold.

2010-04-29

20100107145

Software Performance Analysis Using Data Mining - A system, method, and computer program for analyzing code execution and software performance characteristics are disclosed. Samples of code during run-time or from crash logs can be displayed as both a top-down tree of calls from a particular function and a bottom-up tree of calls to the particular function. Data mining techniques, including filtering and focusing, remove code that is not of interest and display code that is more relevant to performance analysis. In particular, functions contained in libraries such as system libraries can be stripped from view. The cost associated with an excluded function can be propagated to a calling function, in either the top-down or bottom-up tree.

2010-04-29

20100107146

DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM - A system comprising: a server; a computer terminal coupled remotely to the server via a network and installed with a web browser; and an external test platform, connected externally to the computer terminal, the test platform comprising a programmable target device and interface circuitry operable to communicate between the computer terminal and the target device. The server hosts a development tool available for download to the web browser via the network. The development tool comprises: one or more applets to be run by the web browser, and one or more web pages for display by the web browser to provide a user-interface for the development tool including to provide access to the one or more applets. The one or more applets at least comprise code-analysis applet software programmed so as when run by the web browser to operate said interface circuitry to: load code to be tested from the computer terminal onto the target device for test operation.

2010-04-29

20100107147

COMPILER AND COMPILING METHOD - A compiler allocates an unroll_group_number conferred based on a sequence in which a loop body is replicated by loop unrolling to each loop body during loop unrolling based on the optimized number of loop unrolling. The allocated unroll_group_number is added to each instruction included in each loop body. A priority of an instruction is adjusted based on the allocated unroll_group_number during instruction scheduling.

2010-04-29

20100107148

CHECK-STOPPING FIRMWARE IMPLEMENTED VIRTUAL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS WITHOUT DISABLING ALL FIRMWARE FUNCTIONS - The present invention discloses a solution for check-stopping firmware implemented virtual communication channels without disabling all firmware functions. In the solution, a virtual input/output subsystem of firmware can be selectively isolated from other portions of the firmware. This permits the virtual input/output subsystem to be disabled when severe errors occur involving virtual communication channels, without affecting other portions and functions of the firmware. Check-stopping the virtual I/O subsystem can be performed using existing hardware mechanisms for handling permanent errors including channel report words (CRW), channel control block (CHCB), and the like. The subsystem can be reactivated in response to a firmware patch which can be an automated or manual procedure.

2010-04-29

20100107149

PATCHING DEVICES AND METHODS THEREOF FOR PATCHING FIRMWARE FUNCTIONS - A patching device and method thereof for patching a firmware function by a patch function. When a fetch address from a processor does not correspond to the firmware function, the patching device outputs an instruction of the fetch address to respond to the processor. When the fetch address corresponds to the replaced firmware function, the patching device outputs an artificial instruction to respond to the processor. The artificial instruction is one of series of machine codes corresponding to a plurality of patch intermediary instructions utilized to direct the processor to jump to the beginning address of the patch function.

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING PERFORMANCE KITS - Described is an improved method, system, and computer program product for implementing performance kits. Test data for the performance kit is preloaded into an installation image that is distributed with a vendor's product. This avoids the need for the customer himself to have to perform the tasks of installing the test data at the customer site.

METHOD OF INSTALLING INTEGRATED FILE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR INSTALLING THE INTEGRATED FILE THEREIN - A method of installing an integrated file, and an image forming apparatus to install the integrated file therein, the method including: analyzing information of a package file, which is a package of files to be installed in the image forming apparatus, by receiving the package file and separating a metadata file describing package file information from the package file; managing files installed in the image forming apparatus by analyzing the metadata file, and when a file, of the package file, to be installed in the image forming apparatus is determined as a result of the analysis, requesting an installer to install the file; and installing, by the installer, the file in the image forming apparatus. Accordingly, various files are installed at once by using one integrated file, and thus an easy installation method is provided and a version of a file is managed by supporting a metadata file.

2010-04-29

20100107154

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INSTALLING AN OPERATING SYSTEM VIA A NETWORK - A system and method for handling network interface error during operating system installation on a client device by an installation server via a network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes determining available network interface modules in the client device when a request for an installation of the OS is forwarded by the client device, initiating the installation of the OS using a first network interface module of the available network interface modules, switching to a second network interface module of the available network interface modules when the first network interface module becomes inoperable due to an error, and continuing the installation of the OS on the client device using the second network interface module. The method further includes downloading the probe module from the installation server to the client device using a default connection between the installation server and the client device.

2010-04-29

20100107155

PROVISIONING A SUITABLE OPERATING SYSTEM ENVIRONMENT - A method for provisioning a suitable operating system environment to a client machine in a client-server architecture including the at least one client machine in communication with a plurality of servers over a network. A pre-execution boot program is executed on powering the client machine, the pre-execution boot program being configured to identify a Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) server to obtain an Internet Protocol (IP) address for the client machine. Next, the client machine establishes contact with an installation server, which is coupled to the client machine over a network. Thereafter, the client machine receives a first software module from the installation server based on processor type of the client machine. The first software module scans the client machine using to obtain a list of hardware elements on the client machine and the client machine transmits the list of hardware elements on the client machine to the installation server. Finally, the client machine receives from the installation server a suitable Operating System Environment (OSE), including an operating system and device drivers for hardware elements previously identified on the client machine.

2010-04-29

20100107156

LOCAL COLLECTOR - Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for remotely collecting data from the local storage of a machines. For example, embodiments of the method involve deploying a collection tool to the machine via a network, automatically installing the collection tool on the machine, generating a snapshot of the data, storing the snapshot in a storage area on the machine, and transmitting the data from the storage area to a remote collection server. Because the data is transmitted from the snapshot stored in the storage area rather than from the original data stored on the local storage of the machine, the data may be transmitted to the remote collection server without substantially affecting a user's ability to use the machine and interact with the data stored on the machine.

LOW OVERHEAD FAULT TOLERANCE THROUGH HYBRID CHECKPOINTING AND REPLAY - A virtualized computer system provides fault tolerant operation of a primary virtual machine. In one embodiment, this system includes a backup computer system that stores a snapshot of the primary virtual machine and a log file containing non-deterministic events occuring in the instruction stream of the primary virtual machine. The primary virtual machine periodically updates the snapshot and the log file. Upon a failure of the primary virtual machine, the backup computer can instantiate a failover backup virtual machine by consuming the stored snapshot and log file.

2010-04-29

20100107159

Virtual Machine Scheduling Methods and Systems - A method for managing virtual machines in an information handling system (IHS) is disclosed. The method may include receiving a characteristic of a first virtual machine from a connection broker and hosting the first virtual machine on a virtualization server. The method may further include determining availability of more than one virtual machine and if more than one virtual machine is available, hosting a second virtual machine having the characteristic of the first virtual machine.

2010-04-29

20100107160

Protecting computing assets with virtualization - Methods and apparatus protect computing assets of a hardware platform hosting a plurality of guest virtual machines. One of the virtual machines is configured as a management domain that determines whether other virtual machines comply with a predetermined policy before they can be guested on the hardware platform. In one instance, an open virtual machine format (OVF) for virtual machines has attendant metadata that the management domain examines for the presence of a signature. If authentic, the management domain allows the installation of the virtual machine. If not, the management domain prevents its installation. In this manner, end-users are prevented from installing unapproved guest operating systems on corporate-owned hardware. Still other features contemplate preventing users from installing applications into existing domains by assigning various user and administrative rights. Computer program products for assisting in the foregoing are also disclosed.

2010-04-29

20100107161

Method of Improving or Managing Performance of Storage System, System, Apparatus, and Program - A computer system including a server computer providing plural virtual servers, a management computer, and a storage system having plural storage controllers, providing plural logical units. The server computer controls I/O processing of each virtual server according to the I/O priorities for the virtual servers to arbitrate I/O processing performance between the virtual servers. Cooperative settings between the server computer and the storage system are made or information about the storage system corresponding to a virtual server with which cooperative configurations are made is displayed.

MOVABLE VIRTUAL MACHINE IMAGE - The present invention provides the movable virtual machine image using the OS level virtualization and the method for creating and utilizing the movable virtual machine image. The movable virtual machine image is independent of the hardware of PCs and easy to attach or detach from the OS, thereby presents easy and quick moving, distributing, sharing and initializing.

2010-04-29

20100107164

Method, System, and Apparatus for Process Management - Process management involves facilitating the application of a user action to an electronic document that changes a state of a thread. The thread includes data that collectively describes states and relationships of interrelated tasks of a process. Metadata of the electronic document is changed to reflect the changed state of the thread. The changed metadata is communicated via an electronic messaging operation of the process to update the changed state of the thread.

2010-04-29

20100107165

METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESS MANAGEMENT - Process management involves determining a thread from metadata embedded in an electronic document that used in the performance of a process via an electronic messaging operation. The thread includes data that collectively describes states and relationships of interrelated tasks of the process. User role data is determined from the thread, and processing the electronic document by a participant of the process is facilitated. Processing of the electronic document is governed by the user role data relative to a user role of the participant in the process.

2010-04-29

20100107166

SCHEDULER FOR PROCESSOR CORES AND METHODS THEREOF - A data processing device assigns tasks to processor cores in a more distributed fashion. In one embodiment, the data processing device can schedule tasks for execution amongst the processor cores in a pseudo-random fashion. In another embodiment, the processor core can schedule tasks for execution amongst the processor cores based on the relative amount of historical utilization of each processor core. In either case, the effects of bias temperature instability (BTI) resulting from task execution are distributed among the processor cores in a more equal fashion than if tasks are scheduled according to a fixed order. Accordingly, the useful lifetime of the processor unit can be extended.

2010-04-29

20100107167

MULTI-CORE SOC SYNCHRONIZATION COMPONENT - The present invention discloses a multi-core SOC synchronization component, which comprises a key administration module, a thread schedule unit supporting data synchronization and thread administration, and an expansion unit serving to expand the memory capacity of the key administration module. The present invention can improve interconnect traffic and prevents from interconnect blocking. The present invention can function as a standard interface of different components. Thus, the present invention can solve the synchronization problem and effectively accelerate product design.

2010-04-29

20100107168

Scheduling for Real-Time Garbage Collection - Techniques are disclosed for schedule management. By way of example, a method for managing performance of tasks in threads associated with at least one processor comprises the following steps. One or more units of a first task type are executed. A count of the one or more units of the first task type executed is maintained. The count represents one or more credits accumulated by the processor for executing the one or more units of a first task type. One or more units of a second task type are executed. During execution of the one or more units of a second task type, a request to execute at least one further unit of the first task type is received. The amount of credits in the count is checked. When it is determined that there is sufficient credit in the count, the request to execute the at least one further unit of the first task type is forgone, and execution of the one or more units of the second task type continues. When it is determined that there is insufficient credit in the count, the at least one further unit of the first task type is executed. The first task type may be an overhead task type such as a garbage collection task type, and the second task type may be an application task type.

GROUP WORK SORTING IN A PARALLEL COMPUTING SYSTEM - A “group work sorting” technique is used in a parallel computing system that executes multiple items of work across multiple parallel processing units, where each parallel processing unit processes one or more of the work items according to their positions in a prioritized work queue that corresponds to the parallel processing unit. When implementing the technique, one or more of the parallel processing units receives a new work item to be placed into a first work queue that corresponds to the parallel processing unit and receives data that indicates where one or more other parallel processing units would prefer to place the new work item in the prioritized work queues that correspond to the other parallel processing units. The parallel processing unit uses the received data as a guide in placing the new work item into the first work queue.

2010-04-29

20100107171

COMPUTING TASK CARBON OFFSETING - Methods, systems, services and program products are provided for implementing carbon offset computing. During performance of a specified computing task data concerning resource consumption regarding that specified computing task is gathered and stored. Upon completion of the specified computing task, the amount of carbon offset required to compensate for resource consumption associated with performance of the completed specified computing task is calculated based upon stored or known resource consumption data. The calculated amount of carbon offset information may be transmitted to a carbon offset function provider, and a carbon offset function provider implements the specified amount of carbon offset based upon the calculated amounts communicated for the completed specified computing task.

2010-04-29

20100107172

System providing methodology for policy-based resource allocation - A system providing methodology for policy-based resource allocation is described. In one embodiment, for example, a system for allocating computer resources amongst a plurality of applications based on a policy is described that comprises: a plurality of computers connected to one another through a network; a policy engine for. specifying a policy for allocation of resources of the plurality of computers amongst a plurality of applications having access to the resources; a monitoring module at each computer for detecting demands for the resources and exchanging information regarding demands for the resources at the plurality of computers; and an enforcement module at each computer for allocating the resources amongst the plurality of applications based on the policy and information regarding demands for the resources.

2010-04-29

20100107173

Distributing resources in a market-based resource allocation system - Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for distributing a resource (such as electricity) using a resource allocation system. In one exemplary embodiment, a plurality of requests for electricity are received from a plurality of end-use consumers. The requests indicate a requested quantity of electricity and a consumer-requested index value indicative of a maximum price a respective end-use consumer will pay for the requested quantity of electricity. A plurality of offers for supplying electricity are received from a plurality of resource suppliers. The offers indicate an offered quantity of electricity and a supplier-requested index value indicative of a minimum price for which a respective supplier will produce the offered quantity of electricity. A dispatched index value is computed at which electricity is to be supplied based at least in part on the consumer-requested index values and the supplier-requested index values.

2010-04-29

20100107174

SCHEDULER, PROCESSOR SYSTEM, AND PROGRAM GENERATION METHOD - A scheduler for conducting scheduling for a processor system including a plurality of processor cores and a plurality of memories respectively corresponding to the plurality of processor cores includes: a scheduling section that allocates one of the plurality of processor cores to one of a plurality of process requests corresponding to a process group based on rule information; and a rule changing section that, when a first processor core is allocated to a first process of the process group, changes the rule information and allocates the first processor core to a subsequent process of the process group, and that restores the rule information when a second processor core is allocated to a final process of the process group.

2010-04-29

20100107175

INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS - In a cellular phone applicable to an information processing apparatus according to the present invention, a CPU of a main control unit executes monitor threads

2010-04-29

20100107176

MAINTENANCE OF MESSAGE SERIALIZATION IN MULTI-QUEUE MESSAGING ENVIRONMENTS - Messages may be provided to a source queue in serialized order, each message associated with a serialization context. The messages may be buffered in the source queue until a transmission time is reached, in turn, for each buffered message. Transmission-ready messages may be sent from the source queue according to the serialized order, using the serialization context, while continuing to store existing messages that are not yet transmission-ready. A queue assignment of the serialization context may be changed to a target queue. Subsequent messages may be provided with the serialization context to the target queue for buffering therein, while remaining transmission-ready messages may be continued to be sent from the source queue. All of the existing messages from the source queue associated with the serialization context may be determined to have been sent, and the subsequent messages may begin to be sent from the target queue in serialized order, using the serialization context.

2010-04-29

20100107177

DISPATCH MECHANISM FOR COORDINATING APPLICATION AND COMMUNICATION MEDIUM STATE - The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for coordinating application state and communication medium state. Embodiments of the invention provide mechanisms by which a dispatcher can enable application code to coordinate changes in application state with the consumption of messages from a communication medium. The coordination can be automatic where the dispatcher performs the coordination, or manual, where the coordination is performed more expressly by application code. Embodiments also include mechanisms by which applications targeting an execution (e.g., continuation based) runtime may compose alternative state transitions in the application with a peek lock protocol.

2010-04-29

20100107178

System and Method for Providing a Communications Service in Distributed Computing Environment - A broker of the present invention enables distributed applications to communicate with a server in distributed computing environment. The broker receives from a client a request to execute a transaction. The broker receives input parameters including input data. The broker uses a routing service to locate the server. The broker then establishes a communications connection to the server and forwards the input data. The transaction is executed and the broker receives a response from the server. The broker forwards the response to the client. The broker can segment the input data before forwarding the input data to the server. If the response is in multiple segments, the broker can combine the multiple segments into one string before forwarding the response to the client. Further, the broker may receive requests from multiple clients via multiple communications connections. The broker then consolidates the multiple communications connections and establishes one communications connection to the server.

2010-04-29

20100107179

Communication Event Management Methods, Media and Systems - A method for managing a communication event in an information handling system (IHS) is disclosed herein. The method includes receiving at least one communication event at an interrupt manager, wherein the interrupt manager manages the at least one communication event from an application. The method further includes receiving a selection of an interrupt manager setting in response to at least one communication event and generating at least one event notification based on the interrupt manager setting selected.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING APPLICATION BY USING APPLICATION INFORMATION TABLE - Disclosed are a method and apparatus for providing an application. The method includes receiving a first-level application information table (AIT) including one or more application driving conditions and location information of one or more AITs; creating an AIT map table by using the first-level AIT; obtaining a second-level AIT corresponding to a predetermined application driving condition included in the AIT map table based on the location information of the second-level AIT; driving an application based on the second-level AIT.

2010-04-29

20100107182

Class system handler for quality of service in extended computer systems - A solution for handling Quality of Service (QOS) application compatibility in extended computer systems via a class system. The invention utilizes a framework based on definition of classes for performance categorization and management of application compatibility and user experience.

2010-04-29

20100107183

OPTICAL DISC HAVING GAS FLOW SPOILER AND THE METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE SAME - An optical disc includes a round opening at the center of the optical disc, an annular recording section configured to record information, an annular supporting section between the round opening and the annular recording section and configured to support the optical disc, and a spoiler provided on a non-read/write side of the annular recording section and configured to disturb the flow field inside the optical disc drive when the optical disc is rotating, the spoiler having a centerline average roughness between 2 μm and 10 μm, a thickness between 0.02 mm and 0.05 mm, an area occupying at least 5% of the non-read/write side. The flow field so disturbed changes from a laminar state to a turbulent state and thus the read/write characteristics of the disc is improved due to lower air resistance experienced by the rotating disc.

2010-04-29

20100107184

TV with eye detection - In certain implementations consistent with the present invention, a method for monitoring a television system viewer's status involves monitoring a field of view encompassing a viewer environment using a camera sensitive to light in the infrared (IR) spectrum; identifying a pair of bright spots in the IR spectrum that are spaced by a spacing consistent with spacing of a pair of human eyes; monitoring at least one characteristic of the spots to ascertain a status of a television system viewer; and at the television system, taking an action that affects an operational characteristic of the television system on the basis of the ascertained status of the television system viewer. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

2010-04-29

20100107185

User identification using Bluetooth and audio ranging - In certain embodiments, a method of automatically changing an attribute defining operation of a television system involves determining that a short range radio frequency (RF) transceiver device has entered RF range of the television system, the television system having a short range RF transceiver compatible with that of the short range RF transceiver device; binding the short range RF transceiver device to the television set to establish an identity (ID) for the short range RF transceiver device; determining that the short range RF transceiver device is within a predefined distance metric of the television system by use of an audio ping signal; at the television system, looking up a functional attribute associated with the identity; and setting a television parameter at the television using the functional attribute while the short range RF transceiver device is in the RF range as well as within the predefined distance of the television system. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

2010-04-29

20100107186

Method of enjoying broadcasted communication services through distinct electronic apparatuses - A home electronic apparatus is able to receive a broadcasted communication service and to enjoy it by means of rights information; the rights information allows billing for the enjoyment. A mobile telephone terminal is associated to a subscriber card storing subscriber rights information. According to the method, at least the subscriber rights information is transferred from the mobile telephone terminal to the home electronic apparatus when the mobile telephone terminal is in proximity of the home electronic apparatus, the transferred information is stored into the home electronic apparatus, and the broadcasted communication service is received and enjoyed by means of the transferred information.

2010-04-29

20100107187

System and Method of Displaying Advertising Content - A system and method of displaying advertising content are provided. The system to display advertising content includes a three-dimensional graphical display module to generate an interactive three-dimensional user interface display. The system also includes an advertising module to display advertising content at the three-dimensional user interface display. The system further includes advertising content displayable using a plurality of views. A first view of the plurality of views is adapted for display at a first viewer perspective and a second view of the plurality of views is adapted for display at a second viewer perspective.

2010-04-29

20100107188

INTERSTITIAL ADVERTISEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH CONTENT DOWNLOADS - A method and system for a media device to interstitially place advertisement data between content data. The method may include receiving content data and advertisement data. Desired content may then be selected. Advertisement data that is related to the selected content is also selected. A data stream that includes the advertisement data interstitially placed between the content data is then generated and communicated to the user of the device. In this way, free downloads of content may be provided.

2010-04-29

20100107189

Barcode advertising - A display that may be actually or virtually presented at a televised event venue. The display including at least one advertisement, advertising to the in-person attendees at the televised event or virtually inserted into the televised event venue as if advertising to the in-person attendees at the televised event, and at least one identifying marker coupled to the at least one advertisement, wherein the at least one identifying marker is suitable to provide identification of the at least one advertisement when the at least one advertisement is included within the broadcast of the televised event.

2010-04-29

20100107190

CONTENT PROVISION APPARATUS AND METHOD - Provided are a content provision apparatus and method. The content provision apparatus includes a message reception module receiving a service request message from a display apparatus which displays first content; a content extraction module analyzing the received service request message and extracting second content associated with the first content; and a communication module transmitting the extracted second content.

2010-04-29

20100107191

Method and Apparatus for Browser Based Advertisement Insertion - Content is downloaded to a mobile handheld device (MHD) and buffered on the MHD prior to, and during, viewing. Normal wireless bandwidth varies with atmospheric conditions, distance, obstructions in the path, etc. and hence the speed at which a content-buffer (CB) on the MHD is replenished changes. Because this can result in very low quality viewing experience for the user, the capability for alternate content scheduling provided a micro-splicer is used to enable stored alternate-content or advertisement insertion during periods of low viewing quality, when the CB does not hold sufficient content during the viewing period. This alternate content insertion allows the CB to be refilled before the user resumes content viewing.

2010-04-29

20100107192

EMERGENCY ALERT NOTIFICATION FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED - An indication of an emergency alert message is provided to a user, potentially having a disability, via a networked enabled portable device. The emergency alert message is provided via sign language video images indicative of the emergency alert. A notification makes the user aware when broadcast emergency alerts are issued. In various embodiments, the portable device is enabled to receive information about an emergency alert broadcast of which the potentially disabled user should be aware, e.g., from the EAS, and to notify the user of the emergency alert. The user can be automatically taken to the emergency alert information by having the portable device automatically tune to the emergency broadcast information, the user can optionally retrieve the emergency information by tuning to the emergency broadcast channel, and/or the user can otherwise be presented with a reference to the emergency data, such as a link to the information.

2010-04-29

20100107193

System and Method for Providing Interactive On-Demand Content - A set-top box device includes a network interface module and a client interface module. The network interface module is configured to receive interactive content instructions and an interactive content notification over an Internet protocol data connection, and to receive an associated on-demand content video stream from a television service provider. The network interface module is also configured to connect to a website containing product information for a product associated with the on-demand content video stream. The client interface module is configured to output the on-demand content video stream, to output the interactive content notification concurrently with the on-demand content video stream in response to outputting a portion of the on-demand content video stream and based on the interactive content instructions, and to output the website currently with the on-demand content video stream in response to a selection of the interactive content notification.

2010-04-29

20100107194

ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE WITH ADVANCE NOTIFICATION - A non-frame television program guide notification system is provided. The system allows a user at a system to order and receive notifications of non-frame television programs. The user can order notifications by selecting a program or supplying a program title directly. The user can specify when and how often the notifications will be generated and received. If desired, the user can view a list of all currently requested notifications. Entries can be added to the list or the user can cancel a previously ordered notification.

2010-04-29

20100107195

Program preference setting method and system for a broadcasting video program - A program preference setting method and system for broadcasting video program are disclosed. The preference setting method and system are generally applied to an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) for the digital television program. More particularly, a program preference setting system is provided to be embedded in the digital broadcast program receiving and playing device. One or more keywords may be set to the electronic program guide. Through comparison between the keyword(s) and the content of EPG, the positive comparison result is found for scheduling a program sequence. Further, a reminder corresponding to the program sequence may be set in a certain period through the system, and shown on the screen for user's convenience.

2010-04-29

20100107196

INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD - There is provided an apparatus including an EPG acquiring unit configured to acquire EPG data, a selecting unit configured to select a target program, which is a target specifying which broadcast pattern of a plurality of broadcast patterns of the broadcasting program classified by a predetermined criteria; a broadcast pattern specifying unit configured to specify a broadcast pattern of the target program using EPG data of a reference date, which is a broadcasting day of the target program, past EPG data, and future EPG data; and a preference information generation unit configured to generate preference information subjected to weighting corresponding to the broadcast pattern of the broadcasting program based on viewing history information representing a viewing history of the broadcasting program and the broadcast pattern specified by the broadcast pattern specifying unit.

2010-04-29

20100107197

Method and System for Updating Media Content Event Listings - A system including a provider module configured to generate search keys for events in a list of events for distribution to a plurality of consumer premises equipment, where the events represent media content accessible by one or more of the plurality of consumer premises equipment. The system also includes an update module configured to generate an update message corresponding to a change in the list of events. The update message includes a search key mask defining one or more search keys to which the change relates and an update command configured to instruct the plurality of consumer premises equipment to update the respective distributed list of events.

2010-04-29

20100107198

METHOD FOR SERVICE MANAGEMENT - A method for managing a digital multimedia broadcasting channel includes receiving a broadcast data frame that includes an occurrence change field, and performing a service update responsive to reconfiguration version data defined within the occurrence change field. Alternatively, the method includes transmitting a broadcast data frame that includes an occurrence change field, and causing a receiving terminal to perform a service update for a new channel responsive to reconfiguration version data defined within the occurrence change field. A digital multimedia broadcast terminal includes a receiver for receiving a broadcast data frame that includes an occurrence change field, and a controller configured to generate a control signal causing a service update responsive to reconfiguration version data defined within the occurrence change field.

2010-04-29

20100107199

AUDIO-VISUAL POINT-OF-SALE PRESENTATION SYSTEM AND METHOD DIRECTED TOWARDS VEHICLE OCCUPANT - An audio-visual presentation system delivering a presentation to a vehicle passenger compartment is provided that includes a video display mounted external to a vehicle passenger compartment and viewable from within the compartment. A controller provides a video signal to the display and an audio signal. The audio signal is broadcast by an antenna coupled to the controller as a radio frequency is received by a vehicle radio and discernable to a vehicle sound system. The audio-visual presentation system is particularly well suited as a method of education and sale regarding vehicle service products. Rather than providing a discernable audio signal through a vehicle sound system, it is appreciated that a portable radio set is readily placed within a vehicle passenger compartment or the audio signal delivered via a wireless network. A still further advantage is realized by providing a technician servicing the vehicle with a microphone operative to interrupt the audio signal of the presentation so as to convey vehicle service information regardless of whether the presentation is viewed within the vehicle compartment or in a remote waiting room. The audio-visual presentation is readily tailored to the past viewing and/or purchase history of a potential customer.

2010-04-29

20100107200

CONVERTING VIDEO DATA INTO VIDEO STREAMS - A data streaming server, including at least one data storage device, at least one controller configured to control at least one of data transmission to- and reception from- the device, and at least one packet processor adapted to process streaming data and exchange data with the data storage device without passing the data through the controller, but while using the control by the controller. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

2010-04-29

20100107201

MEDIA CONTENT MODIFICATION AND ACCESS SYSTEM FOR INTERACTIVE ACCESS OF MEDIA CONTENT ACROSS DISPARATE NETWORK PLATFORMS - A media content playlist generation and access system for a video entertainment network is herein disclosed whereby a plurality of media content emanating from various disparate networks may be conglomerated into a customized list. The list may contain stored media content, which are customarily stored in the head end portion of a CATV network, media content accessible via the Internet, or yet to be aired media content. The system also provides for manipulation of the playlist from various consumer electronic display devices that are interconnected to the Internet, or the PSTN, thereby allowing further customization of the playlist at the user's convenience. Additionally, a multiple user account system is provided wherein multiple user accounts may be configured in order to allow a corresponding multiple individualized playlists, which are each customized to suit each user's tastes.

2010-04-29

20100107202

Method of transmission of a digital content stream and corresponding method of reception - The invention concerns a method of transmission of a digital content stream to receivers and a corresponding method of reception. In order to synchronize digital content rendering over these receivers, while supporting trick mode commands, the method of transmission comprises a step of sending of a common time reference to the receivers, a step of reception of a trick mode command message, the received trick mode command message comprising information allowing identification of a point in the digital content stream, a step of sending of notification messages to all of the at least two receivers notifying them of the received trick mode command message and a step of sending of at least part of the digital content stream to all receivers in accordance with the received trick mode command message, the digital content stream comprising information allowing to identify a point in the digital content stream.

2010-04-29

20100107203

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CREATING DYNAMIC WEBPAGES IN A MEDIA COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an Internet Protocol Television system having a controller to create a template defining a format of presentation of an webpage or HTML page using an iTV or IPTV application system, receive a request for the page from a subscriber of the iTV or IPTV system. The system can access application system subscriber data for the subscriber and a presentation of the page is dynamically adapted according to the application system subscriber data. In one alternative at, the page can be dynamically adapted by changing in content or by changing a look and feel of an HTML page or webpage. In another alternative, the webpage or HTML page can be dynamically adapted by modifying graphic user interface elements based on the application system subscriber data. Other embodiments are disclosed.

2010-04-29

20100107204

DYNAMIC IPTV GROUP PROFILE CREATION AND MANAGEMENT - An IPTV group profile is dynamically generated based on individual IPTV user profiles, whenever a user joins or leaves a shared IPTV session at an IPTV Terminal Function (ITF). The IPTV group profile may be implemented as a modification to the IPTV user profile of each user. In one embodiment, a “group” branch includes the additional access privileges and/or restrictions from the IPTV user profiles of other group members. The modified IPTV user profiles of users in the group are placed on a network entity such as an XDM Server (XDMS), to which the ITF subscribes via XCAP. As users join or leave a shared IPTV session at an ITF, the IPTV-AS updates the IPTV user profiles on the XDMS, which notifies the ITF of the changes. Each user's IPTV user profile at the ITF thus reflects group access privileges, preferences and restrictions for the duration of the shared IPTV session.